UNITED KINGDOM, October 26, 2022 (RNS, by Murali Balaji): As Rishi Sunak, the new prime minister of the United Kingdom, prepared to lead his country amid economic, political and social turmoil, he used the term “proud Hindu” to describe himself. That identity matters to millions, British and not, around the world. For some years now, “proud Hindu” would be understood…
UNITED STATES, October 23, 2022 (CNN): More and more major brands are recognizing the festival of lights, running ad campaigns and stocking products related to the holiday in the US. South Asian Americans who celebrate Diwali can now pick up fireworks from Costco, greeting cards from Hallmark and party decorations from Target. Diwali, also known as Deepavali, is one of…
NEPAL, October 24, 2022 (The Hindu): Celebrating the bond between humans and man’s best friend, the Nepal Police on Monday honored its service dogs as the Himalayan Nation marks the “Day of Dog,” the second day of the five-day Tihar festival (similar to Diwali). Medals were awarded to those who performed best in their field of specialization, solved the crime,…
UNITED KINGDOM, October 25, 2022 (Live Mint): Rishi Sunak did not hold back from embracing his roots when he was appointed finance minister of Britain and took an oath by placing his hands on the Bhagavad Gita. According to Sunak, even though he is currently a British citizen, he practices Hinduism. He says his ethnicity is Indian, both religiously and…
INDIA, October 23, 2023 (Xinhua and aninews.in): One of the most popular festivals of Hinduism, Diwali, or the festival of light, symbolizes the spiritual “victory of light over darkness, good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance.” The first link below takes us to photos of a bazaar in Bangalore bustling with people as they shop for Diwali decorations and lamps.…
KOLKATA, INDIA, October 16, 2022 (Times of Bengal): Diwali or Deepavali also called the festival of lights will be celebrated this year on October 24th, 2022. On Diwali, there is a tradition of drawing small and vibrant rangolis in the house. Diwali is also celebrated to welcome Goddess Lakshmi in our homes. She is an epitome of wealth, prosperity, fortune…
SIVAKASI, TAMIL NADU, October 20, 2022 (Organizer.com): Owing to blanket bans on firecrackers in numerous states, 1.5 lakh people in the firecracker manufacturing industry have been left jobless in Sivakasi, Tamil Nadu. The firecracker industry in Sivakasi has over 1,000 registered units in operation employing over 700,000 people. “The garland cracker has been banned despite being a significant item. Garland…
LUKAIYA, INDIA, October 16, 2022 (AFP): The dense forests near a small village in eastern India reverberated with chanting and the beating of drums as hundreds of villagers gathered to tie decorated threads around the trees. In an annual ritual that has been performed in Lukaiya for the past 20 years, people consecrated the trees with floral garlands and smears…
NEW MEXICO, USA, October 13, 2022 (firstpost.com, by David Frawley): India has historically been a great land of magnificent temples. Temples were not only important sites for religious worship but also served as centers of learning, art, community gatherings and festivals. Temples held great wealth and were the pride of the communities in which they were built. Such temples became…
USA, October 14, 2022 (sentientmedia.org): HPI Note: This question about McDonald’s fries comes up every decade or so, and the answer is always the same: No, they are not vegan and may or may not be vegetarian. Here’s the latest round: The most popular item at McDonald’s isn’t a burger. The fast food stalwart may have served over 300 billion…